Re: why track horses?

[Tracey & Mark <mwdodger@mweb.co.za>]

Jeff Brickson asked a whole ton of questions, and although I don't ride
endurance, I thought he might be interested in my responses.  If he isn't
he's getting them anyway <grin>


>*Why* are some endurance riders interested in owning an ex-racer<

Both my horses are OTT Tbs.  My next horse will also be an OTT TB.  Why?
Can't beat their minds, or their athleticism, or the bond that you can get
with a TB.  They're also the most visually pleasing animal around.


>>is it the exposure to the traffic and handling?<<

That can be a plus or a minus.  I'll only get a TB from certain trainers,
and never from others, because some come with too much baggage.  But it's
useful that they've had some training, and once they've "come down" you can
work with them more quickly than a green baby, in terms of taking them out
on trail.

>>If bloodlines matter at all to the rider, does the rider know which ones
they want?<<

Yup!  Golden Thatch, Kingbenitch, Politician, Royal Affair, Damascus Gate,
Main Man, Harry Hotspur.


Won't touch Jamaico again, even though Toc is a Jamaico, or Peacable
Kingdom.  Al Muftis all tend to have crap legs.


>>Is there some prestige owning/looking for one?<<

Not out here, they go for free off the track.  PG cost R80 000,00 as a
yearling and was sold on as a 4yo for R800,00.  His breeding is outstanding,
but he did squat diddly on the track.  Toc probably sold for a fortune as a
baby, as he came from a top stud farm and he's bred in the purple on both
sides.  But that mind!

>>Is there shame in it?<<

Only shame is people who don't understand that OTT animals need to "come
down".

>>Is it the previous physical conditioning? <,

Gads!  That's what they need to "come down" from!

>>The mental training?<<

Also that.  Out here, they tend to stand in their stalls 23/7, and are hyper
when they come OTT.  They have zero ground manners, zero patience and really
need to learn all over again.  Plus is that they generally know how to box,
have their feet picked up and are easily bridled and saddled.

>>Is there an assuption that there always must exist a 'race attitude' or
mentality left from being exposed to that atmosphere?<<

Personally, I think a horse either has it or hasn't, and you can't "train"
it to a horse.  PG came from a long line of winners, but has no competitive
attitude at all.  Toc was competitive from day one, and always will be, even
though the disciplines I do (dressage, jumping, eventing) seldom have other
horses near by.  It's just in their nature, and it's what makes them good /
bad on the track.  If you get a winner of the track, you will have a horse
with "race attitude" but not if you get an ordinary horse.

>>Is there a stigma that they are really expensive/really cheap?<<

Cheap.

>>Any other attributes/problems?  Would a race-bred but unraced be
preferable (why/not)?<<

Soundness problems.  I'd prefer race-bred but unraced, or raced very little.


Hope this helps, and wasn't just irrelevant waffle.


Tracey